Stop watch testing apparatus



July 10, 1945.

W. O. BENNETT, JR

STOP WATCH TESTING AEPARATUS FIG.

Filed May 3, 1943 FIG. 2.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORJ WILLIAM O. BENNET'LJR.

y v w. o. BENNETT, JR 2 STOP WATCH TESTING APPARATUS Filed May 3, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

INVENTOR.

WILLIAM ,o. BENNETT, JR.

ATTY.

Patented July 10, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT fO-FFICE A 2. 0, STOP WATCH TESTINGAPPARATUS i I William Ogle Bennett, n1, Lancaster, Pa., assignor to HamiltonWatch CompanLiLancaster, Pa. 1 I

Application -May 3, 1943, Serial No. 485,518

9 Claims.

This invention is directedto an apparatus for g ting stop watches over a definite period of @1me.--'

l-leretofore in the testing of stop watches the starting and stopping'of the watch is doneby syn- 'chronizing with an audible signaloccurring, say, once each second, and istherefore entirelydependeht on the skill and coordinating reflexes of the operator. r

It is the object of this invention to remove any element of skill and make the testing a. fool proof front panel 5' extends along the forward edge of the front base leaving two free end areas 6 and 1. Axes 8 and 9 are carried by said front panel andthe vertical partition and in turn carry pul- 'leys l0 and II over which an endless belt [2 travels. A platform l3 supports the belt and an adjustable roller I4 is arranged-to keep the belt taut. Shields l5 extending 'over the pulleys l0 and II serve as'guards and help to position the watch at one end by narrowing the available space on the belt and'p'revent the watch being carried 'over the pulley at'the other end, the edge lBof the shield serving a stop forv the watch.

tus'by means of which watches-can be timed for I a given periodoftime; in groups and at intervals much smaller: than the period being measured'by said watches.

It is astill further object to provide a covered "traveling belt which conveys the watches from the starting point to the stopping point. p

'Itis'a still'further objectto provide means for preventing removal of the watches when once placed on the belt until the time for placing the -watch in stopping position. 3 It is a still fu rther object 'toprovidea measuring' dial which gives each watch a number-and =postion so that if the time is for a long period the watches may be 'removed from the machine .for an hour or more and returned and each ex-, actly timed for the desired period.

It is a'further object to provide means'for completely stopping the machine should there be even a momentary failure of the power line current.'. .It'is a still further object to provide a pair of synchronized solenoids serving to start and stop the'watches. I The invention is illustrated in ing'drawings in which:

Fig. 1 isa front'elevation.

the accompany- Fig. 2 is a top plan with the rear cover removed "and the ends of the vertical partition shown in section. 1 Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram showing the electrical parts diagrammatically, I which parts are omitted from theother views.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the contact making device. T

.. H' I'he apparatus as illustrated has a base I withv a central vertical partition 2 dividing the base into a,:front base 4 and' backvbase 3. A vertical The invention is illustrated by an apparatus .designed to give stopwatches a thirty second test but by changing the gear ratio or the speed of the motor and the l'ength of the traveling belt, all mechanical adjustments the test could be for any predetermined -".period.v Ordinarily stop watches are put through a short test of approximately thirty seconds several times whichgives an average reading and also tests the operating button, and a long test which is generally one hour.

R. P. M. and is driven from a source of standard onds. boar-d2l extending over its central portion and frequency current which must be accurate. The

motor drives a geared wheel l8 through a pinion 1I9, the wheel It) being keyed to'the shaft 8 'and'the ratio being such'that the shaft 8' makes preventing the removal of the watch-before twenty-four seconds 'have passed. In this way removal of the'watch from the belt is prevented untilafter the twent'y-fourthsecond after the watch is started. This period could, of course,

be changed to any-convenient'timing' period but for purposes of illustrating the'invention specifically the timing period will be considered thirty seconds, whichis'one of the'tests usually given stop watches. I

Themechanism for starting and stoppingthe watches is shown at 22' and 23, the mechanism-.

being identical and operated every six seconds. solenoids fl having-movable'cores 25 areconnected to operate simultaneously. Springs 26 are carried on pivotallymounted blocks 21 and are adjustably connected at one end to the scores 25 Themechanism iordr'iving the belt is amotor 1'1 which is of the synchronous type turningthrough spring tensioned screws 28 and at the other end support striker blocks 29 formed of cork Or other suitable material. The ends of the striker blocks project partly through openings 30 and 3| in.the vertical partition 2 where they engage the starting button 32 on the watches 33 as the are presented. The adjustable spring tensioning means 28 allow the striker block to be adjusted for either a light or heavy blow.

The dial20 is designed with two hands 34 and 35, one of which rotates once every minute and designates the single watches struck by the striker While the other hand 35 rotates once every hour and designates the watches in groups of ten or more, making it possible when running through 2. This is repeated until the test is concluded, starting the watches at six second intervals. Twenty-four seconds after the first watch is started it reaches'the end of the cover board 2| and may be taken up by a second operator seated in front of base portion 1 with an empty tray to receive the watches. The second operator presents the watch to the opening 3| after the twenty-fourth second and before the thirtieth, the striker block 29 contacting the plunger 32 stops the watch exactly thirty seconds after starting. Each of the watches are stopped at six second intervals and placed in the trays. After the test is over-the watches are examined and the error a batch of five hundred watches to know just which watch is being tested. This is important when a test of longer duration than thirty seconds is run. If, for example, it is desirable to allow. the watches to run exactly one hour.

The electrical system for operating the apparatus is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 3 andincludes two power lines, a source of ordinary current36 and a source of standard frequency current 31 which latter source must be accurate as the timing depends on the running of the motor at an exact speed. A switch 38 initially completes the circuit for both lines and current flows along standard frequency wires 39 and 4|]. Wire 40 connects direct to the motor whilewire 39 is interrupted by a push button switch 4| which when closed energizes the motor I! as .well as the solenoid 42. The closing of solenoid'42 carries the current to the motor through the solenoid lay-passing the push button switch 4|. This arrangement makes even a momentary break in the current supply stop the motor necessitating operation of the push button to again start operation. A signal light 43 is connected to warn the operator that the motor has stopped but that switch 38 is closed. This arrangement prevents the failure of current for even one second to'be put down as error. in the watch. The solenoids 24 are energized through contacts 44 and 45 which are brought together with every revolution of the wheel I8 by a pin 46 carried on said wheel striking the cam surface 41 of contact 44'. Closing of switch 38 on the source of supply sends the current through wires 48 and 49, wire 48 connecting directly withsolenoids 24 and solenoid 50. Momentary closing of contacts 44 and 45 operates solenoid 50 which completes the circuit to solenoids 24. These'operate simultaneously to swing the striker blocks into watch starting or stopping operation. Contacts 44 and 45 are mounted in insulation block 5| carried on the back base 3. The electrical apparatus such as wires, switches, solenoids are not shown except diagrammatically in Fig. 3 where their function is the closing of a circuit.

The operation of the thirty second test is car, ried out as follows." The trays of watches about to be tested are arranged conveniently to an operator seated before base portion 6. One of the traysis placed adjacent to'portion 6 and the apparatus started by closingswitch 38 and operating push button 4|. In the next six seconds the operator having first wound all watches to be tested holds the stem of a watch at opening 30 where when the indicator hand reaches the striker block hits the plunger 32 of the watch, thus starting the sweep second hand 5|. The watch is placed on the traveling belt and a second watch is held to the opening 30 to await the action of the striker block as the indicator hand 34 passes mined time interval. i

intervals controlled by said sourceof time to respectively start and stop, a stop watch and a continuously operating conveying means for said stop watches said conveyor means'extending. between said spaced striker blocks and timed to receive a started stop watch from the operator at one striker block and presentsaid watch afteran exact time interval convenient to said other striker block.

2. LAD. apparatus for timing stop watches comprising a pair of spaced striker blocks, means for actuating said striker blocks simultaneously at predetermined intervals to actuate the starting and stopping, mechanism of a stop watch, a continuously operating conveyor. extending between said striker blocks and meansfor operating said conveyor so that its rate of travel is inexact relation to the time period between actuation of the striker blocks, said conveyor receiving .a started stop watch adjacent one of saidstriker blocks. and presentingsaid watch convenient to said second striker block after a predetermined time interval. I

3. An apparatus for timing stop watches comprising an accurate source of time, a pair of spaced striker blocks actuated'simultaneously at predetermined intervals to start and stop a stop watch, acontinuously operating conveying means for said stop watches extending between said spaced striker blocks to convey the started'watch from one of said striker blocks to a, position adjacent said other striker block after a predeter- 4. An apparatus for timing Stopwatches comprising an accurate-source-of :time, a pair of sp c ri r l ks. means for actuating said striker blocks simultaneously and at exact predetermined equal intervals, timing means for con- .trolling the actuation of said striker blocks, a

conveyor belt moving between said striker blocks, timing means serving to move the conveyor belt whereby a watch on the conveyor belt passes from a position adjacent to one of said striker blocks to a position adjacent to the other of said striker prising a base, a vertical panel mounted-on said base, a pair of spaced striker blocks operating through holes in said panel, means for actuating said striker blocks at predetermined-intervalsa conveyor belt mountedon said base and extending from one striker block to the other, a cover for said conveyor belt extending from a small exposed portion adjacentone striker block whereby stop watches set in operation by the first striker block and deposited on the conveyor belt are not,

for presentation for positioning at said second striker block until after a predetermined time interval, said time interval being slightly less than an exact multiple of the time interval between the actuation of said striker blocks.

6. An apparatus for testing timepieces, including stopping and starting means for a timepiece,

means for operating said starting and stopping means at predetermined period intervals, and means for conveying a timepiece following operation of the starting means to a position adjacent the stopping means for efiective operation of the stopping means on the timepiece, the conveying means having a period of operation less than an exact multiple of the period of operations of the starting and stopping means predetermined as the measure of the timepiece test, whereby a timepiece manually subjected to the operation of the starting means may be transferred to and delivered by the conveying, means for manual oooperation with the stopping means for that particularly predetermined operation of the stopping operation of the starting element thereon and to convey such running timepiece to a position adjacent the stopping element, the conveyor having a period of operation between reception. and

delivery points of the timepiece slightly less than the time period required for a predetermined number of operations of the starting and stopping elements. 1

9. An apparatuses defined in claim 8 including an indicator for registering the'number of operations of the striker block.

WILLIAM OGLE BENNETT, JR. 

